4/3/2006

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2006 AVCA Division III Men's Volleyball All-America Teams^SM

COLORARO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 3, 2006) - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce its 3^rd Annual AVCA Division III Men's All-America Teams^SM.

Juniata College dots the AVCA Division III Men's All-America Teams^SM with two student-athletes on both the first and second teams. Stevens Institute of Technology placed two members on the first team, while Springfield College landed one player on the first team and two on the second team. New York University senior middle blocker Chris Schmidt was selected to the first team for the third year in a row, while Rivier senior middle blocker Andrew Chace was tabbed an AVCA All-American for the third year in a row. Juniata senior middle blocker Cordt Withum earned his second consecutive first-team selection.

The selections were made by the AVCA Division III Men's Volleyball All-America Committee: chairperson Charlie Sullivan (Springfield); Tim Byram (Endicott); Keith Koch (Medaille); LJ Marx (Carthage); and Jonathan Penn (Vassar).

AVCA Division III First-Team All-America^SM

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AVCA Division III Second-Team All-America^SM

AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Year^SM: Announced April 6 at Molten Division III Men's Invitational Volleyball Championship Banquet
AVCA Newcomer of the Year^SM: Andrew Cranford, Stevens Institute of Technology, Fr., MB

* - 2005 AVCA Division III Men's First-Team All-America selection
+ - 2005 AVCA Division III Men's Second-Team All-America selection

^ - 2004 AVCA Division III Men's First-Team All-America selection

# - 2004 AVCA Division III Men's Second-Team All-America selection

AVCA All-America Division III Men's First-Team

T.J. Bellei (Carthage, So., MB) - Bellei leads the Red Men with a .335 attack percentage compiling 2.25 kills and 0.92 blocks per game. He was named Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Week^SM on Jan. 17. Bellei has been chosen AVCA All-American for the second consecutive year.

Andrew Chace (Rivier, Sr., MB) - Chace leads the Raiders with 4.08 kills per game and a .421 attack percentage. He has also notched 1.32 blocks, 0.73 digs and a team-high 0.71 aces per game. Chace, who was named NECVA New England Division Player of the Year, is a three-time AVCA All-American.

Dan Coleman (Endicott, Fr., Lib) - Coleman recorded 15 or more digs on nine separate occasions, including an NCAA Division III season-high 38 against Newbury on Feb. 21, 2006. He led Endicott with 4.53 digs per game and ranked in the NECVA's top five. Coleman was named NECVA Rookie of the Week twice.

Andrew Cranford (Stevens Institute, Fr., MB) - Cranford leads the Ducks in hitting percentage at .457 while adding averages of 2.35 kills and 1.08 blocks per game. He was named Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Week^SM on Jan. 30. Cranford also was tabbed AVCA Division III Newcomer of the Year^SM.

Matt Fritz (Juniata, So., RS/Opp) - Fritz leads the Eagles in kills with 3.11 kills per game. He has added 1.49 digs, 0.70 blocks and 0.20 service aces per game. Fritz was named Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Week^SM on Feb. 13 and EIVA Division III Player of the Week on Jan. 30.

Eric Palumbo (Springfield, So., OH) - Palumbo leads the Pride with 4.39 kills per game while attacking at a .240 clip. He has also tallied 1.46 digs, 0.43 blocks and 0.21 aces per game. Palumbo was named EIVA Division III Player of the Week on Feb. 12.

Chris Schmidt (NYU, Sr., MB) - Schmidt leads NYU with a .426 hitting percentage, while adding averages of 3.05 kills and 1.02 blocks per game. He was named Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Week^SM on Feb. 6 and March 13. Schmidt is a three-time AVCA All-American selection.

Michael Schulte (Stevens Institute, Jr. S) - Schulte leads Stevens with 12.38 assists and 1.36 digs per game while guiding the Ducks to a .264 team attack percentage. He has also chalked up 11 block solos, 0.73 blocks per game and ranks second on the team with 29 aces. Schulte helped Stevens to the top seed in the NECVA Tournament.

Erik Vogt (Clarke, Sr., MB) - Vogt led the Crusaders with 3.59 kills per game while attacking at a .366 clip. He also led Clarke with 22 block solos and 1.27 blocks per game. Vogt ranked second on the team with 1.95 digs per game and added 17 service aces.

Cordt Withum (Juniata, Sr. MB) - Withum leads Juniata in block solos with 18 while ranking second in total blocks with 85 and 1.08 blocks per game. He has tallied 1.63 kills per game and eight aces while hitting .269. Withum is making his second appearance on the AVCA Division III All-American First Team^SM.

AVCA All-America Division III Men's Second-Team

Jeremy Barndt (Juniata, Jr., MB) - Barndt leads the Eagles with a .373 attack percentage, while tallying 2.56 kills and 1.26 blocks per game. He has also tallied 0.67 digs per game and 15 service aces. Barndt is a two-time AVCA All-American selection

Ryan Baumgartner (Carthage, Jr., Lib) - Baumgartner leads Carthage with 2.55 digs per game. He has helped guide the Red Men to a .204 team attack percentage, which includes eight matches against NCAA Division I-II teams. Baumgartner has added 1.44 assists per game and three service aces.

Ryan Fredrickson (Springfield, Fr., RS/Opp) - Fredrickson ranks second on Springfield with 4.06 kills per game while hitting .213. He leads the team in with 1.80 digs per game. Fredrickson has also registered 0.65 blocks per game and 13 service aces for the sixth-ranked Pride.

Erik Hartman (Medaille, Sr., OH) - Hartman led Medaille 3.33 kills and 3.89 points per game. He ranked third on the team in attack percentage at .307, while adding 1.51 digs per game and a team-high 20 block solos. Hartman was named NECVA All-Western Division First Team.

Praveen Pamidimukkala (MIT, So., OH) - Pamidimukkala led MIT with 5.06 kills per game while attacking at a .359 clip. He added 2.45 digs and 0.97 blocks per game to go along with 27 service aces. Pamidimukkala was named NECVA All-New England Division First Team and NECVA Player of the Week on Feb. 13.

Michael Rozek (D'Youville, Sr., OH) - Rozek averaged over 3.50 kills per game while attacking near .350. He was named Sports Imports/AVCA Division III Men's National Player of the Week^SM and NECVA Player of the Week on March 6. Rozek was also named North Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Macnair Sillick (NYU, Jr., RS/Opp) - Sillick, a two-time AVCA All-American, leads the Violets with 3.62 kills per game while attacking .260. He has also registered 1.30 digs and 0.68 blocks per game while adding 14 service aces. Sillick was named EIVA Division III Player of the Week on Feb. 21 and March 6.

Andrew Sipe (Springfield, Fr., MB) - Sipe leads Springfield with a 1.24 blocks per game average, which includes a team-high 24 block solos. He also leads the Pride with 32 aces and ranks second on the team with a .311 attack percentage. Sipe has also chalked up 1.92 kills and 0.45 digs per game.

Matt Werle (Juniata, Fr., S) - Werle leads Juniata with 10.59 assists per game while directing the Eagles to a .246 team attack percentage. He has also chalked up a team-high 29 service aces, to go with 1.15 digs and 0.70 blocks per game. Werle attacks at a .309 individual mark, while tallying a total of 53 kills.

Brett Wood (Medaille, Jr. MB) - Wood led Medaille with a .341 attack percentage, while tallying 2.90 kills per game. He added 0.48 blocks per game and a team-high 21 service aces. He was named NECVA All-Western Division First Team.

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